Swing Bridges

[edwin_m]

It appears that as well as using sliding bolts to hold it in position, they fishplated the rails together at the ends of the bridge. Latterly I think it was only used once per day -- the latter technique presumably wouldn't be practicable for a bridge that was opened and shut frequently.

Sounds a bit of a tactic of desparation - it would need a bloke with a spanner for half an hour or so before they could open the bridge and again before they could run a train after closing it. I guess this must have been when the station was almost disused and the swing bridge mechanism was completely shot.

 

[Taunton]

Sounds a bit of a tactic of desparation - it would need a bloke with a spanner for half an hour or so before they could open the bridge and again before they could run a train after closing it. I guess this must have been when the station was almost disused and the swing bridge mechanism was completely shot.

Not unknown elsewhere. The bridge west of Greenwich over Deptford Creek was hardly ever opened, but when it was the same unbolting of fishplates applied. Not half an hour because a whole PW gang turned up. It was described in a 1950s Railway Magazine. Probably only done after hours; any trains remaining would be diverted via Blackheath.

 

[TheSeeker]

Railway swing bridges appear in (I think) both of Arthur Ransomes books set in the Norfolk Broads. In Coot Club the twins catch a lift on a wherry that passes under the swing bridge at Haddiscoe. “Almost as he spoke the bridge seemed to split in half, and both halves cocked up in the air. Two men appeard one with a little bag on the end of a long pole, and as she passed the bag was held out and Mr Hawkins, holding his hand high dropped two shillings into it”.

They also pass under Breydon bridge after waiting for a train to pass and tie up at Berney Arms. "He stepped her mast, hoisted her sail, pulled up the centre board and tacked down river to the Berney Arms" where he, Tom buys milk and eggs at the inn.

 

[John Webb]

Not unknown elsewhere. The bridge west of Greenwich over Deptford Creek was hardly ever opened, but when it was the same unbolting of fishplates applied. Not half an hour because a whole PW gang turned up. It was described in a 1950s Railway Magazine. Probably only done after hours; any trains remaining would be diverted via Blackheath.

The opening of this bridge was dependent on tidal conditions to allow the boat for which it was opening to pass up or down the creek. The bridge referred to in the 1950s Railway Magazine is described also in "Charing Cross to Dartford", by Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, Middleton Press, 1990. According to this book it was used 223 times in 1961. It was replaced by an electrically-operated bridge in 1963:
Deptford Creek railway lift bridge

© Copyright Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
The bridge is now permanently closed.

 

[181]

Railway swing bridges appear in (I think) both of Arthur Ransomes books set in the Norfolk Broads. In Coot Club the twins catch a lift on a wherry that passes under the swing bridge at Haddiscoe. “Almost as he spoke the bridge seemed to split in half, and both halves cocked up in the air. Two men appeard one with a little bag on the end of a long pole, and as she passed the bag was held out and Mr Hawkins, holding his hand high dropped two shillings into it”.

I don't have a copy of the book to hand, but my recollection is that that description is of the road bridge over the New Cut (since replaced by the fixed bridge pictured here). They would though have passed the nearby railway swing bridge over the Waveney, as well as the (still existing) one at Somerleyton. (There was also a swing bridge just below Beccles -- see here -- although I don't remember that being mentioned in the book).

 

[30907]

Sounds a bit of a tactic of desparation - it would need a bloke with a spanner for half an hour or so before they could open the bridge and again before they could run a train after closing it. I guess this must have been when the station was almost disused and the swing bridge mechanism was completely shot.

All Rewley Road was used for in its latter days IIRC was coal - and in those days there was very little river traffic either (the end of the Oxford Canal was very quiet), so time was not of the essence.

 

[D60]

Cannot share the links on this phone, but there are several vids on YouTube showing the operation of the modern (mid-1980s?) combined road and rail swing bridge at Preston Dock.
So vids showing the bridge opening to allow pleasure craft in and out of the marina... and other vids depicting the railway operation across the bridge.. including Ribble Rail steam and diesel passenger trips.. and the bitumen tanks.. and the occasional excursions off the national network featuring cl.37, 55, 66, 67..
Worth a look, if interested.. (sorry can't post links!)..
(Can confirm that this bridge raises slightly off its bearing pads at each end to permit horizontal swing..)..

 

[Old Yard Dog]

There are swing bridges over the Manchester Ship Canal for several roads, a unique swing aqueduct carrying the Bridgewater Canal, and I think there may have been a swing bridge at the Manchester docks end for a railway of the canal company's internal railway system, but all main railway crossings have high-level fixed bridges.

There is also a modern vertical lift bridge for a road, and a second under construction (delayed by the collapse of its lifting deck last year). This may eventually also carry a Metrolink tram line. Trafford Road swing bridge also used to carry tram lines in the days of classic trams.

There is also one carrying the A56 over the Weaver Navigation

 

[snowball]

Most of the inside back cover of the latest issue (#841) of Rail magazine is about Rewley Road swing bridge and some occasions when it opened.

 

[Alan Glaum]

Just been to an open meeting where the Oxford Preservation Society said work would start on the Oxford swingbridge this summer.
Intention is to restore and conserve, also to enable turning across the river occasionally.

 

[MP33]

One of the swing bridges in the Broads is mentioned in Michael Greene's the art of coarse sailing. There is a dispute between one of the author's friends and the signalman over how long the bridge was kept closed to shipping. The author's friend retires to his cabin to write a letter of complaint to British Railways addressed to Dear Filth.

In the edition that I have there is a footnote from the author stating that the Railway has now closed and the bridge is permanently open, thank goodness.